THE 
RAL NEW-YORKER. 
OCT. 
lomfstir (fftoimmir. 
OOND0OTED BY EMILY MAPLEi 
INVALIDS CONVALESCENT.-CHAPTER 2. 
MARY BEAL M’LOUTH. 
In chapter first, the Rural of July 26 made 
me say crushed coffee for invalids. It should 
read crust cofEee. This is made by putting a 
crust, or pieces of bread, in the oven and 
browuiug slowly until the pieces look a rich 
color to the center. Pour boiling water over 
and let stand a few minutes. I could hardly 
recommend Java coffee for the sick, though 
some might drink it without realizing any ill 
effects. Pardon the digression. 
I have often wished that some of the tired, 
over-worked, poorly-paid sewing girls in some 
of our cities might fiud their way into the 
country. But there seems to be some attrac¬ 
tion—what, I cannot say—that thuds them to 
such a life. The few iu this country and 1 
guess the trouble is general—who can afford 
to hire, must, with a few exceptions, accept 
of young, inefficient help or none. Ihe aver¬ 
age farmer’s wife, if she has any interest in 
the work—and if she has not, she has made a 
great mistake iu marrying a farmer—begins 
life hopefully. She labors to her utmost 
strength, hoping for better times, though she 
knows not when they are coming, for she 
finds, as years roll around, her cares increase, 
and although it is sometimes true that every 
back is fitted for its own burden, there are 
many backs broken because of the burden 
being too heavy. And it is often increased by 
one’s own false pride, in attempting to follow 
in the wake of dame Fashion. If all made 
their garments plain, 6ewing machines might 
be a help to those who are able to use them. 
But with their early appearance there arose a 
multitude of burdens heavier than all the pre¬ 
vious ones; and these must be borne, or else 
one is excluded from society. Under the pres¬ 
ent administration sewing machines are sure 
destroyers of health, and those who value ihoii 
future happiness—for what enjoyment is there 
without health?—must either lay them aside 
entirely, or use them in all moderation, getting 
along with less ruffling, edging, trimming, 
flouncing, shirring, fluting and stitching. 
One eurse to farming life is laud. Nearly 
all farms contain more acres than the owners 
can cultivate well, which necessarily calls for 
much hired help. But greec’y to own as much 
as neighbor 60 -aud-so, farmers will buy more, 
keeping in debt, instead of putting their sur¬ 
plus means in improvements. And so their 
lives are worn out before their prime. I have 
known what it was to cook for a host of har¬ 
vest hands in the hottest part of the seasou, 
and I set my wits to work to contrive some 
way to get out of it, and still not lose finan¬ 
cially. Hiring so nmeh, boardiug the men, 
thrashing the grain, and driving nine miles to 
market, take off the profit. For my part, 1 
was thoroughly sick of it; cooking for so many 
confined me to the house constantly, and I 
knew my health was failing. I had read of 
women going West doing farm work and 
gaining strength, and concluded their health 
was not reuewed by going West, but by the 
farming. Perhaps with some the first and 
greatest trouble will be in getting their hus¬ 
bands to consent to any such plan. But fath¬ 
ers are generally glad of the girls help, so 
girls had better learn before they get married. 
All young ladies who have worn short dres¬ 
ses in practicing calisthenics, at school, realize 
how much more easily and quickly one can 
step so clothed, than when obliged to carry 
around several pounds of trail, with heavy 
trimming added, la short, make your work¬ 
ing dresses loose, plain, short and as com¬ 
fortable as possible. In repairing what has 
been a nice dress for every-day wear, the first 
sensible thing to do, is to cut off the back 
breadths of the skirt, so that they shall not be 
any longer than the front ones, and take off 
the trimming. Now, equipped for active 
labor, you must persuade your husband every 
morning to fill the large wood-box, and on 
wash days to bring tubs, benches aud pound¬ 
ing barrel, with several pailsful of water. 
Teach the children to stand over the table or 
wood-box when eating fruit, and, above all, 
not to wipe tbeir hands on their clothes or 
soil the table-cloth. They will learn very 
young to be tidy, but begin just as soon as 
they are weaned to teach them how—it’s much 
easier than to break them of a habit after it is 
once formed. Our boy does not soil his 
clothes at the table one time in twenty, and 
has not used a bib since he was three years of 
age. But he has a napkin to wipe his mouth 
and fingers, and iu giving sauce, or bread and 
milk, I give him fruit without the juice, and 
moistened bread—not bread swimming in 
milk. 
If anything is spilled on the table-cloth, 
wash it out aud always take care to fold it 
exactly as it was when first ironed. This to 
avoid large washings. Have a large apron for 
all dirty work; it can be easily slipped off, 
leaving you in a presentable condition, if your 
dress is short. Perhaps Mrs. Grundy might 
raise her nose a degree or two higher, but com¬ 
pare your condition with hers some morning 
after you have fed the lambs and chickens, 
and perhaps gathered some fruit. Her drab¬ 
bled, long dress must be changed for a dry 
one, and perhaps washed, while you can go on 
in your employment without any interruption. 
Fold the sheets and the every-day under-clothes 
when they come from the line, and with a few 
shakes hang (hem on the bars to dry more 
thoroughly. You will be just as comfortable 
and sleep just as soundly as though you had 
worked a long time ironing. Heavy churnings 
are too much for any woman, so tell your hus¬ 
band that il he will churn tills morning, you 
will dig a couple of bushels of potatoes. The 
children can pick them up, and then he can 
carry them into the cellar. Do not spend every 
moment you have to spare, scrubbing, clean¬ 
ing, mopping aud sweeping, using up the best 
of your life lighting that much-to-be-dreaded 
enemy, dirt; but take life as it comes, and, if 
friends call, tell them you have learned that 
“ health” lives out-of-doors, and if you spend 
all of your time in a heated kitchen, you will 
never fiud it. 
Chapter HI. will tell you what a woman can 
do out-of-doors. Aud though I baveseen some 
of the wealthiest who did not hesitate to do 
any work which came in their path, I have 
found others who did not possess fifty dollars’ 
worth of property, who were afraid of soiling 
their delicate hands by physical labor. 
--»- 
DOMESTIC RECIPES. 
[Boiled Potatoes. 
Wash the potatoes, leave the skins on and 
throw into boiling, salted water. When a fork 
will easily pierce them, throw in a small dip¬ 
perful of cold water. Let stand two minutes, 
throw off the water and stand on the back of 
the stove, with tlie pot lid half removed, until 
the 6team is evaporated. Take up, peel and 
send to the table in au open dish. 
Gravy for Potnloe*. 
Put a spoonful or more of butter, according to 
the quantity of potatoes you havo, into a frying- 
pan and set over the fire until brown, being 
careful not to scorch it. Mix a spoonful of 
flour in a cup of thin sweet cream—or milk, if 
one has no cream—pour into the browned but¬ 
ter, boil up, seasou with pepper aud a little 
salt if necessary, aud turn over the boiled 
potatoes. This is a very nice way to serve 
small potatoes. Mrs. W. Bigel&vy. 
To Boil Potatoes. 
Select those of about one size, wash very 
clean but do not pare. Put into a pan of cold 
water for au hour before boiling. In boiling 
U6C no more water than will cover them. The 
moment they are done, turn off the water and 
6et the kettle on the back of the range with a 
cloth over the potatoes and the cover drawn 
to one side. After a few moments, take off 
the cloth, sprinkle a little salt over, put on the 
cover aud shake up the potatoes. Let them 
stand with the cover on for a minute or so, 
then serve. 
Saratoga Potatoes. 
Pare the potatoes and cut into slices so thin 
that one can almost 6ee through them. If for 
breakfast, prepare them the night before and 
let stand in a dish of ice-cold water. Just be¬ 
fore frying drain them from the water and 
wipe them dry with a cloth. Fry only a few 
at a time in boiling lard as you would dough¬ 
nuts. Before putting in the potatoes, separate 
the slices from each other aud do not attempt 
to cook more at a time than you can keep 
separate. Tend with a fork, tossing them over 
aud over until browned evenly and delicately. 
Take up with a skimmer and place on a sieve. 
Sprinkle with salt. Mary B. 
Sweet Potatoes. 
Boil the potatoes until tender, peel, cut 
lengthwise, put flat side down on a greased pan 
and place in a hot oven. As the potatoes begin 
to crust, baste with a little melted butter. Re¬ 
peat until nicely browned. 
Potato Soup. 
Peel aud boil ten good-6ized potatoes ; turn 
off the water and rub through a colander. To 
the potatoes add two quarts of boiling water 
and simmer for one hour. Then add two table- 
spoonsful of butter, pepper and salt to taste 
with a tablespoonful of minced parsley. Let 
boil up,then add two cupsful of hot, thin cream 
or rich milk and pour out. Serve with “crisped 
crackers.” Mrs. James Baker. 
To Boil Potatoes. 
Select and pare potatoes as near the same 
size as possible; throw into cold water for half 
an hour, then put into a sauce-pan and cover 
with cold water. When the water boils, check 
it several times by throwing in cold water a 
little at a time—as the slower the potatoes boil 
the better they are. When tender throw off the 
water and sprinkle a little Balt over them. Set 
on the back of the stove to dry with the lid off. 
Serve in an open dish. 
English Housewife. 
Potatoes and Onions. 
Boil potatoes until tender but whole and cut 
into slices while hot. An hour or more before 
preparing this dish, dress and slice a few 
onions and let staud in salt and water. Put a 
little butter or drippings into a frying-pan, 
put in the sliced onions and cook until deli¬ 
cately browned. In a vegetable dish place the 
onions and potatoes in alternate layers, add a 
cupful of vinegar to the gravy in the frying- 
pan. bring to a boil and pour over. 
Potato Pie. 
One cupful ot grated raw potatoes, one quart 
of sweet milk, three eggs, a little salt, sugar 
and nutmeg to taste. Let the milk come to a 
boil, stir in the potato, let cool, add the well 
beaten eggs and other iugredientB. Bake with 
an uuder crust. 
Potato Souffle. 
Boil five good-sized potatoes, press them 
through a sieve. Bring to a scald half a cup¬ 
ful of milk with a spoonful of butter, add to 
ihe potatoes with pepper and salt aud beat to a 
cream. Theu beat the yelks and wbiteB of 
four eggs separately, add the yelks first, one at 
a time, beating thoroughly, then the whites, 
jnst stirred iu without beating. Turn at once 
into a buttered pudding dish and bake twenty 
minutes in a quick oven. The dish should be 
large enough to permit the souffle to rise. 
Mrs. Hopkins. 
-- 
QUESTIONS ANSWERED. 
Crystallizing Grasses. 
M. W., Poquonoc Bridge .—Dissolve 18 ounces 
of alum iu a quart of Boft water, heating it 
over a slow fire in a covered tin dish and stirr¬ 
ing it occasionally with a stick until dissolved. 
When nearly cold, suspend the grasses to be 
crystallized by a thread from a small stick 
laid across the mouth of a deep glass or earthen 
jar into which the solution is poured. Let re¬ 
main in the alum water 24 hours, take out and 
suspend in the shade to dry. The crystals will 
be larger if the solution is allowed to become 
almost cold before putting in the grasses. 
JjUlus of % fflUtk. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
Monday, October 13th, 18T9. 
The National Miners' Association has ordered 
a strike for a to per cent advance In several middle 
district mines of Pennsylvania, and miners in the 
Clearfield, Cambria, Westmoreland and other 
districts are In the movement. All the miners In 
the bituminous coal region are expected to follow 
the national association's orders, and the strikers, 
now numbering 5,000, will probably soon increase 
to from 10,000 to ls.ooo. Mollle Maguire outrages 
in some of the lawless mountain regions are ru¬ 
mored, hut the miners generally behave quietly. 
Where rlotus demonstrations appear the authori¬ 
ties are preparing themselves for emergencies. 
Startling developments are expected. 
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has ren¬ 
dered a decision holding the County ot Allegheny 
in that State responsible for losses occasioned by 
the Pittsburgh riots of 181T. The suit was brought 
to recover the value of whiskey shipped at Cin¬ 
cinnati for Philadelphia, and destroyed en route. 
The Legislature of Pennsylvania In 1841 passed an 
act making the counties of the State responsible 
for all losses by mob or riot within their borders, 
and It is on this act tnat the decision la based. 
The counsel retained by the county made the point 
that the disturbances through which the loss was 
eaused were not such as were contemplated by the 
law, but amounted to an insurrection spreading 
through several states. The court, however, dis¬ 
posed of this very speedily, and no Oho who remem¬ 
bers the disgraceful circumstances connected with 
the Pittsburgh riots can fall to recognize the 
justice of its remarks: 
The Southern papers are considerably rejoiced 
that the consumption of their cotton-mills in¬ 
creased 26 per cent, during ihe past year and of 
mills at the North but 8 per cent. The whole con¬ 
sumption, 186,489 bales south and 1,375,384 North, 
was the largest ever known, though BriliBh con¬ 
sumption In the same time was smaller than In 
any previous year since 1869-70. The South Is cer¬ 
tain to manufacture buu more of Its cotton during 
the next two years, and the general Introduction 
of Northern Alabama coal, which la rapidly driving 
Pittsburg coal from the lower Mississippi, is help¬ 
ing on the gradual establishment of cotton-mills 
in that section. Cincinnati, which has a quiet 
way of doing a big thing, is naving an exposition, 
all by herself, whose attendance for the first 23 
days has been 319,951; the paid admissions at the 
Centennial exposition for the first 19 days were 
only 37 S. 980 . A new oil region has been dis¬ 
covered In Trumbull couuty, Ohio, and one of 
its peculiarities Is a well of the finest lubricating 
oil, near West Mecca, flowing five barrels a day, 
refined and ready for use on the nicest ma¬ 
chinery. Speculators have leased 2,000 acres in 
the vicinity at enormous prices, for the oil 
brings $16 a barrel, while that of the Penn¬ 
sylvania oil region brings less than TO cents. 
The New York usury law whose faulty construc¬ 
tion as to the date at which it goes Into operation 
has led to long controversy, is clear enough in one 
particular—it makes it a State prison offense to 
lend a man money after January l next at any 
rate over 6 per cent., though it were to save him 
from bankruptcy. During last August 12,881 im¬ 
migrants landed at New Y’ork, 60 per cent more 
than In the same month last year. Of the August 
Immigration this year one-half was from England 
and Germany, In equal shares. A farmer attempt¬ 
ed to cut Into a premium pumpkin at a fair at 
Council Grove, Kan., to get a few ot the seeds, but 
found It made ot wood. It, had taken many prizes 
at fairs for Its weight, 230 pounds, and Its clrcum- 
ference sc yen feet. 
“We’see no evidence of any serious attempt 
upon the part or t he local authorities to suppress 
It. At the time of Its commencement, a feeble, at¬ 
tempt was made by the sheriff, resulting In the 
enrollment of some half-dozen deputies. But there 
was no proclamation calling upon the body of the 
comity to come to his assistance In preserving the 
peace, no one doubts at this day that, If a proper 
effort had been made at tho proper Mine, the mob 
could have been held In check.” Pittsburgh's fire 
marshal, assisted by a committee appointed by the 
county officials, fixed the total loss of the riot at 
$2,832,918, of which $1,301 ,soo was properly of the 
Pennsylvania, road, $1, 200,000 freight and individual 
cars, and 331,118 private property. The county 
tried to bribe the last Legislature to shoulder the 
debt on the State, but only succeeded In rulntug a 
number ot politicians with an itch tor gain, 
and must now add the amount to its pres¬ 
ent debt of $1,759,000. This addition will 
Increase the county tax about si per cent. 
Enormous speculative transactions at the Stock 
Exchange still continue and have at length begun 
to attract general attention. The business In shares 
alone lias averaged over 400,000 shares each day, 
and on one day the aggregate was iso.into shares. 
A remarkable feature of this business. Is that less 
than one-rourth ot it Is in stocks which pay any 
dividends. Tho fluctuations In prices, too, are as 
remarkable as the great number ot shares which 
change hands. Although speculation is wild, and 
such reasons as there are for a recovery from the 
depression of the last five years are greatly exag¬ 
gerated, yet tlie speculation Is not unaccountable. 
The. resumption of specie payments enlarged the 
currency, Inspired confidence, and put tho money 
market on the same basis as foreign money mark¬ 
ets. Then tho refunding ot the public debt turned 
out of 5 and 6 per cent. U. S, bonds a great many 
millions of dollars, part ot which returned to 4 
per cent, bonds, and a part went, into other securi¬ 
ties paying higher lute rear.. During the transfer 
there was a strong Inducement for all who had 
speculative ventures to float, to bring them out in 
the most attractive way. Refunding of the debt 
Induced the Treasury to use Its influence to keep 
money very easy, which helped outside specula¬ 
tions as well us the Government bond market. 
Following this refunding, with Its direct and Indi¬ 
rect influences, came the good harvests in this 
country aud the short crops throughout Europe, 
and as the logical result of this came the Importa¬ 
tion of gold. Since August 1 nearly $89,000,000 of 
foreign specie, almost ull gold, has arrived, and 
about $15,000,000 more are afloat bound for New 
\ r ork. Except for these specie imports the specula¬ 
tion which had been built on the favorable events ot 
the early part of the year must have broken down 
for want, of money faculties; but the gold im¬ 
ported has been sufficient to move tho crops, to 
carry the new securities which have come Into 
being by the million, to sustain the advance la the 
price of old securities, and to furnish bank facili¬ 
ties for ihe enlarged volume of mercantile business. 
It has, however, been barely sufficient; there has 
been nothing to spare. These arc the main reasons 
why Wall Street and other departments ot specu¬ 
lation are wua. . 
Rome wasn’t built li a day, but Deadwood has 
been rebuilt in a day, or a few days at least, which 
is alt the same. Merchants rehung their signs 
while the ashes were yet hot, and In more than 
one case tho carpenters blistered their hands at 
work on new buildings in tarn midst of smouldering 
debris. In answer to a Chicago Inquiry as to 
whether help was needed, uti enthusiastic reply 
was shot over the wires as follows: “Ours Is a 
laud of gold. Save your money for Memphis. 
Deadwood Is able to contribute to more needy 
cities.” General Stonetnan derides General Fre¬ 
mont’s scheme for turning the waters of the Colo¬ 
rado into the desert basin of California and Arizona. 
He sayB that, presuming tho connecting canal to 
be l,0(io feet, wldB and to deep, aud running at five 
miles an hour, It would take 200 years to fill the 
basin. After being filled It would, he asserts, re¬ 
quire an additional cutting of the same depth and 
250 feet wide to compensate for evaporation. 
Gov. Luke P. Blackburn, of Kentucky, has par¬ 
doned 37 convicts from the state penitentiary dur¬ 
ing the 34 days of his administration. By the way, 
there seems now no doubt but that, this Is the 
Doctor Blackburn arrested In Canada for conspir¬ 
acy to introduce yellow fever Into Northern cities 
during the war, by the Introduction of infected 
clothing. Great damage has been done in various 
parts of the country by prairie fires, owing to 
the severe droughts that have lately prevailed In 
most parts of the country, there Is great danger 
from this cause In wooded and prairie regions. 
Near Wright, Texas, Thursday, white men called 
a colored woman and her two children to the door 
and shot, them dead In cold blood. We are told 
that “the authorities are working faithfully to 
bring tho murderers to justice.” This Is hopeful, 
certainly, as from the numerous cold-blooded mur¬ 
ders In Texas recently one would Judge there were 
no officers of the law In that State. 
rapt Payne'S command was rescued from the 
beleaguering horde of Indians by Gen. Merritt’s 
roroes last Monday. After leaving Rawlins, Merritt 
pushed rapidly forward over execrable roads or 
rather tracks accomplishing forty miles on the 
first day, the same on the second and seventy 
miles on the third during which he pushed on day 
aud night. Ou his arrival the Indians withdrew after 
a slight brush, and a parley. They offered to surren¬ 
der on condition that the troops would not advance 
to their Reservation, but declared that they would 
tight to the last man in case this condition were re¬ 
fused. It was refused; they are now reported to be 
fortifying all the hill tops fining the various routes 
to the Reservation. Sheridan has telegraped Gen 
Merritt that he must insist on an unconditional 
